Device for preventing creeping of railway-rails.



No. 642,487. Patented Ian. 30, I900.

J. L. POPE. I DEVICE FOR PREVENTING CREEPING 0F RAILWAY RAILS.

2. Sheets-Sheet I.

(Application filed Aug. 3 18 9. ,1 (No Model.)

w\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\wu% WITNESSES J. L. POPE. DEVICE FOR PREVENTING CREEPING [Application filed Aug. 3. 1

(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 30, I900.

0F RAILWAY RAILS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNTTED STATES JOHN L. POPE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING CREEPING OF RAILWAY-RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,487, dated January 30, 1900.

Application filed August 3, 1899. Serial No. 726,009. (No modelfi To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN L. PoPE,of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, (whose post-office address is No.10 Wade Building, Oleveland,) have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Preventing Creeping of Railway-Rails, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure I shows a plan view of arailwayrail and wooden tie provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line II II of Fig. 1. Fig. Sisa detail view illustrating a modification wherein my improvement is adapted to use with a metal tie or tie-plate. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line IV IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5' is a plan View of another modification also adapted to metal ties or tie-plates. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on the line VI VI of Fig. 5; and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail Views of another modification in construction of the holding-sprin g, Fig. 8 being an end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 7.

Difficulty has been experienced in preventing longitudinal motion or creeping of railway-rails under the jarring action of trains, and although expensive devices have been applied for the purpose of preventing such action their use has not been attended with satisfactory results, and in some cases, necessitating the cutting and weakening of the rail, they have been positively objectionable. My improvement is designed to overcome these difficulties.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 2 represents the railway-rail, 3 is the tie, and 4 4 are spikes constituting an abutment against which the flange at one side of the rail bears. On the other side of the rail is a spring 5 of U form, the legs of which diverge somewhat and corners b b of which bite against the rail-flange. The spring is held by a curved retainer 6, constituting a socket in which it fits, and by the heads of spikes which hold the retainer in place on the tie, or other suitable devices may be employed for this purpose. The spring, which normally is of the shape indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, is spread under tension into the position shown by full lines and is sprung into position in the socket, so that its corners b I) bear against and bite upon the rail-flange with a strong pressure, such spreading of the legs of the spring being easily effected by a tool in putting the spring in the socket. The spring thus holds the rail securely from lengthwise movement in either direction.

The device may be applied to one of the ties on which a rail rests or to several or all of such ties, as desired, and within the scope of my broader claims instead of causing the ends of a spring to bear directly upon the rail-flange an intermediate dog or cam forced against the rail by the spring may be interposed.

It will be understood that it is necessary that the rail should be held in place against the springs, and for this purpose any suitable rail-fastening devices constituting abutments maybe employed; also, that the springs may be placed on one side or on both sides of the rail, as desired.

In Figs. 3 and at I show the device applied to a metal tie-plate or tie 7, which will act as a retainer for the spring, making it unnecessary to employ a separate retainer. For this purpose the tie or tie-plate is provided with a key-slot 8, and the spring 5 has a projecting key 9, which enters the slot, and when the spring is spread passes below this tie or tie plate and holds the spring.

' In Figs. 5 and 6 the retainer is constructed bya lip 10, which is struck up from the body of the tie or tie-plate 7 and bears against a concave seat at the middle of the spring. The bearings of the spring and lip are some what inclined in order to hold the spring in place with greater security.

In Figs. 7 v and 8 the spring instead of being U shaped has only a single leg bearing against the flange of the rail, and it will therefore act to prevent motion of the rail in one direction only.

In Figs. 3 to 6 the abutment is constituted by an upturned lip 4 bearing against the flange on the other side of the rail from the spring.

The advantages of my invention in respect of its simplicity and efficiency will commend it to those skilled in the art.

I claim-- 1. As a device for holding rails, a U -shaped spring having divergent legs, and having the ends of the legs shaped to present biting-corners adapted to bear against a rail; substantially as described.

2. As a device for holding rails, the combination of an abutment on one side of the rail and a spring on the other side of the rail, with a biting tooth or dog which engages the rail and prevents creeping thereof; substantially as described.

3. As a device for holding rails, the combination of an abutment on one side of the rail, and a spring on the other side of the rail which engages the edge of the flange of the rail and prevents creeping thereof; substantially as described.

4. As a device for holding rails, the combination of an abutment on one side of the rail, and a spring having an arm bearing at an inclination against the edge of the flange of the rail on the other side; substantially as described.

5. As a device for holding rails, the combination of an abutment on one side of'the rail, and a spring on the other side of the rail which engages the edge of the flange of the rail and prevents creeping thereof, and a retainer for holding the spring in position; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN L. POPE. Witnesses:

H. E. GRESHAM, O. B. HUNT. 

